Football: Hamilton wins City Section Division II championship

When Hamilton needed a player to step up in Saturday's City Section Division II championship game, Russell Shaw delivered. He accounted for five touchdowns in a 58-30 victory over Sylmar at the Coliseum.

He caught touchdown passes of 54, 15 and 15 yards. He returned an interception 90 yards for a touchdown and passed 44 yards for another touchdown.

When he wasn't needed, Jericho Flowers answered the call. Flowers returned the opening kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown after taking the ball from Flowers at the 35. He caught a 44-yard touchdowns pass. And, in the biggest play of the game, on the final play of the second quarter, he took a missed Sylmar field goal 97 yards for a touchdown that gave Hamilton a 23-9 lead.

Sylmar closed to 37-30 with just over six minutes left when Andrew Simpson returned a blocked punt 34 yards for a touchdown. That’s when Shaw contributed two of his four touchdowns, abruptly ending Sylmar’s comeback bid.

“We knew we were going to come and win,” Shaw said. “We just had to play hard and never give up.”

Sylmar quarterback Clarence Williams completed 20 of 36 passes for 290 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions.

Armani Rogers was 12 of 24 for 194 yards and three touchdowns for Hamilton (11-3). Kyshawn Richards rushed for 114 yards in 15 carries.